South Sudan oil exports unaffected by Sudan fighting – minister

JUBA, APRIL 20, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – South Sudan’s Minister of Petroleum, Puot Kang Chol, on Thursday said the country’s crude oil exportation has not been affected by the ongoing fighting in Sudan.

Speaking to reporters during a press conference in Juba on Thursday, Puot said the transportation of crude to Port Sudan has not been halted by conflict in Sudan.

“At the moment, we are not affected and if we are affected, we will also inform the public and I have put it here that the leadership of this country and the people of South Sudan are informed in every step we take,” Puot told reporters in media briefly held at the Ministry’s premises on Thursday.

“All our oilfields facilities such as the pipelines, pump stations, field processing, field service facilities and the export marine terminal in the Republic of Sudan are well protected and safe from any damage.”

Puot disclosed that the ongoing violence has only disrupted logistical processes through Port Sudan, but said they are monitoring the situation closely and will consider alternative options if the situation persists.

“We will continue to closely monitor the unfolding situation in the Republic of Sudan to better prepare and plan for any eventuality if necessary and appropriate,” he said.

The Minister said that current crude production stands at 169,140 barrels per day.

“We will continue to produce and export an average of 169,140.81 barrels of crude oil per day from all our oilfields in the Republic of South Sudan,” he said.

South Sudan relies on Sudan to export its crude, which travels through a pipeline to the Red Sea via Khartoum.

Sudan and South Sudan’s export crude grades are the Nile and Dar Blend, which are mostly sold to Asian refiners in China, India, and Malaysia.

South Sudan, which relies on oil revenue for 95% of its national budget, has in the past accused Sudan of diverting crude to its inland refineries without consent.

In September, officials in South Sudan said they had bought land in the tiny coastal state of Djibouti to build a new export terminal.

The world’s youngest country is also part of a long-delayed regional cargo transportation network starting in Lamu on the Kenyan coast.